Intravascular treatment of vascular occlusion and associated devices, systems, and methods

Abstract

Systems and methods for treating thrombosis and or emboli in a peripheral vasculature of a patient are disclosed herein. The method can include providing a thrombus extraction device including a proximal self-expanding coring portion formed of a unitary fenestrated structure and a distal expandable tubular portion formed of a braided filament mesh structure; advancing a catheter constraining the thrombus extraction device through a vascular thrombus in a vessel; deploying the thrombus extraction device from the catheter from a constrained configuration to an expanded configuration; retracting the thrombus extraction device proximally so that the coring portion cores and separates a portion of the vascular thrombus from the venous vessel wall while the mesh structure captures the vascular thrombus portion; and withdrawing the thrombus extraction device from the patient to remove the vascular thrombus portion from the vessel.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS[0001]This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 62 / 245,935, filed on Oct. 23, 2015, and entitled “INTRAVASCULAR TREATMENT OF VASCULAR OCCLUSION AND ASSOCIATED DEVICES, SYSTEMS AND METHODS”, the entirety of which is hereby incorporated by reference herein.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0002]Thrombosis is a term for a blood clot occurring inside a blood vessel, and a venous thrombus is a blood clot (thrombus) that forms within a vein. A common type of venous thrombosis is a deep vein thrombosis (DVT). DVT is the formation of a blood clot (thrombus) within a deep vein, predominantly in the legs. Nonspecific signs may include pain, swelling, redness, warmness, and engorged superficial veins.[0003]If the thrombus breaks off (embolizes) and flows towards the lungs, it can become a life-threatening pulmonary embolism (PE), a blood clot in the lungs. In addition to the loss of life that can arise from PE, DVT can cause signi...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The present invention provides a system and method for removing thrombus from a peripheral vasculature using a thrombus extraction device designed to remove large clot volumes, including mature and organized clots, with reduced needs for pharmaceuticals, such as thrombolytics. The device includes a self-expanding coring portion connected to a braided net so as to effectively core and separate large volumes of thrombus from large vessels in, for example, the venous system or arterial system while capturing the separated thrombus in the braided net. The device can be securely locked in place to maintain a desired radial force on a vessel wall and can be easily collapsed and maintained in a desired orientation when the blood vessel is tortuous. The introducer sheath includes an elongate sheath, a self-expanding funnel, and an obturator for easy use in accessing and removing thrombus within a blood vessel of a patient.

Problems solved by technology

If the thrombus breaks off (embolizes) and flows towards the lungs, it can become a life-threatening pulmonary embolism (PE), a blood clot in the lungs.

In addition to the loss of life that can arise from PE, DVT can cause significant health issues such as post thrombotic syndrome, which can cause chronic swelling, pressure, pain, and ulcers due to valve and vessel damage.

Further, DVT can result in significant health-care costs either directly or indirectly through the treatment of related complications and inability of patients to work.

While current devices and methods of prevention and / or treatment of DVT exist, there are a number of shortcomings that have yet to be resolved, such as high incidence of DVT re-occurrence, use of devices not designed to remove large clot volumes, and / or complicated treatments involving multiple treatment devices and / or pharmaceuticals.

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